The old Rocklin Congregational Church building at 3rd and Emerson. In 1966 we moved to our current location at 5140 Topaz Ave. (Photo courtesy of the the Rocklin Historical Society). Larger image.

Though these days Community Covenant Church has a contemporary style, it is the oldest Protestant congregation in Rocklin.

The earliest congregation was called the Society of Believers, and met as early as 1867, with Bible classes held in the home of Silas Sweet, with 20 scholars and five teachers.

On September 12, 1871, the First Congregational Church of Jesus Christ was formed. On January 15, 1877 a committee was formed to set up bylaws of the corporation which were finalized and recorded on February 5, 1877.

On July 6, 1893 a lot was purchased at the corner of Third Street and Emerson, a building was built, and it was deidcated on Tuesday, November 12, 1893.

It continued as the Congregational church until 1941 when the name was changed to the Rocklin Pilgrim Church, because of the pastor's -- Rev. William Ways -- association with the Pilgrim Holiness Church of Pasadena.

In 1946 Rev. Worth V. Hodgins became pastor and served until 1952. Under his leadership the name was changed in 1946 to Rocklin Community Church. On March 26, 1950, the church voted to enter into fellowship with the Mission Covenant Church, now called the Evangelical Covenant Church, which is its present denominational affiliation.

The church building at Third and Emerson was small and about 1962 the city declared a fire hazard in the basement classroom, condemning the building and forcing the church to look for new facilities. With the help of the Evangelical Covanant denomination, the church was able to purchase five acres in the new Sunset Whitney subdivision and was one of the first buildings on Topaz Ave., built during 1965 under the leadership of Rev. Elmer Pearson. At that time, Sunset Blvd. ended at Topaz.

The new building was dedicated January 30, 1966 and subsequently the name changed to Community Covenant Church of Rocklin. Some of the recent pastors included Wesley A. Sundberg who served from 1986 to 1993, along with Rev. Keith Hamilton as youth pastor from 1989 to 1996. Pastor Sundberg was followed by Pastor Ron Mancini who served from 1993 to 2003. Our current senior pastor is Gerald Frye, serving with Youth Pastor Ed Denton and Ministry Development Pastor Ralph Wilson.

(This history was prepared from materials prepared by Ruben Ruhkala and Lee Peterson. Ruhkala's history was published in the Placer Herald, June 1, 2005, p. A6.)